Quote:
Originally Posted by montijo505
Holy crap, I'm smoked.
I started Saturday tearing the suspension apart to do my front end project. Objective was rebuild LCA with whiteline bushings and Moog ball joints. Weld in Total Chaos spindle gussets and All-Pro cam tab gussets. Install Poly Performance Taco Tabs cam delete kit.
On Saturday I got most one side of the suspension apart before my graveyard shift. Sunday I slept late and got started.
Getting the LCA's out was a breeze. I observed some rust on my rear cams but thankfully they weren't seized. I began wrestling with the ball joint and holy crap it is in there. I used the press kit from Advance Auto coupled with my Dewalt 1/2 mid torque impact. I was getting frustrated because it wouldn't give. I soaked it with penetrating oil and let it sit in the sun (I forgot about my torch). I then tried using my big torque wrench which tightens/loosens and is about two foot long and couldn't turn it past a certain point. I tried the impact again and it broke loose.
I then started on the bushings. Surprisingly, no issues getting them out with a little heat, the bottle jack and a hammer. Cleaned up the arm and reassembled. Definitely throw the bushings in the freezer for a few hours and clean the bushing tube with a Dremel or drill sander. Again no issues there.
Today I got the spindle gusseted and the cam tabs installed on the driver side and reassembled it. It was fun torquing the front cam delete bolt to 250 ft/lbs....... Said no one ever.
Took the passenger side apart. Welded in the cam tab gussets. Started trying to remove the ball joint before gusseting the spindle.
I'm just so damn tired after two full days of getting after it for literally 8 hours each day lol. I gave up, jumped with my 4 year old on the trampoline, had dinner, drank a few beers and licked my wounds.
I'll soak the damn thing in oil again tomorrow in preparation for Wednesday. Hopefully have it all buttoned up by Thursday or Friday.
Garage looks like a tornado hit.
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Did your bushing shells come out with with the bushings? If so, I'm jealous!
The ball joints really benefited from heat when I did mine, I had it cranked as much as I could with a 16" breaker bar and wasn't getting anywhere, also forgetting I had a torch. After I torched that puppy for a while, the slightest little tap with a hammer and it make a huge pop and slid 1/8" lol. For the second arm, I got smart and bought an electric impact. It still needed heat, but not as much as when doing it by hand haha.
I love the progress, looks awesome!